Nov. 24 Quick Takes: Elevian raises $15M; plus AZ-Ionis, Genmab, Moderna and Novartis
Anti-aging play Elevian raises $15M equity round
Elevian Inc. raised $15 million in an equity financing led by Prime Movers Lab. Also participating were Bold Capital Partners, For Good Ventures, Kizoo Ventures, Lauder Partners, Longevity Fund, SavEarth Fund, WTI and several undisclosed angel investors. The Harvard University spinout emerged from stealth in 2018 with $5.5 million in seed funding to develop a regenerative platform around GDF11 to treat age-related diseases.
AZ’s latest deal with Ionis is for second NASH program
Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:IONS) said it will begin development of ION455 to treat non-alcoholic steatohepatitis under a partnership with AstraZeneca plc (LSE:AZN; NYSE:AZN). The biotech is to receive $30 million up front and is eligible for $300 million in milestones tied to the antisense therapy’s development; Ionis did not reveal its target in an announcement late Monday. The partners already share rights to ION839 (AZD2693), another therapy for NASH which targets PNPLA3, as well as treatments for kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer...